Something Just Like This Episode 9 Recap
> Something Just Like This Recap
Chen Lang receives a phone call from the individual responsible for the power outage during Rui's live stream. He scolds the caller for using "unsavoury" tactics. The caller retorts, questioning if Chen Lang would have won without their intervention, claiming Rui was "on their last legs" before the power went out. Despite Rui's loss in the live stream competition, Mr Wu is deeply moved by their resilience and teamwork during the power outage.
He praises their innovative approach to disrupting the retail industry, noting that they attracted tens of thousands of customers within an hour, a feat even QE's malls couldn't achieve. He specifically commends Zhang Jiayun's outstanding performance. While adhering to the contest rules, he decides to award Rui the live streaming rights for Pineapple's entire skirt collection. Duan Ran expresses his gratitude.
Mr Wu then announces that Rui's new CEO will be revealed the following morning, leaving Duan Ran and Qian Xixi feeling anxious. Later, Zhang Jiayun finds Duan Ran and shares her suspicion that the power outage was not a coincidence. She commends him for his brave actions during the incident. When Qian Xixi arrives, she feels a pang of jealousy seeing Duan Ran and Zhang Jiayun chatting happily.
Zhang Jiayun notices Qian Xixi's reaction, having realized Qian Xixi was behind a prank video posted by Su Su to tease Duan Ran out of jealousy. Zhang Jiayun pulls Qian Xixi aside to reassure her that there is nothing romantic between her and Duan Ran.
She reaffirms her support for Qian Xixi and Duan Ran as a couple, urging Qian Xixi not to let external factors, like Duan Ran's parents' opinions or the perceived "taking over" of his position, deter her. She emphasizes their strong friendship, stating, "between you and I, there's no Duan Ran." Qian Xixi admits that her feelings for Duan Ran are complex and she struggles to articulate his good qualities. To help Qian Xixi, Zhang Jiayun arranges a dinner date.
She first calls Chen Lang, who enthusiastically accepts, then calls Duan Ran. Zhang Jiayun describes Chen Lang as self-centered and rigid, always finding ways to justify his own logic, making him tedious to work with. In contrast, she portrays Duan Ran as empathetic and attentive, someone who genuinely listens and cares for others. She tells Duan Ran to dress handsomely for the evening.
After setting up the dinner, Zhang Jiayun instructs Qian Xixi to go in her place, reiterating that Qian Xixi and Duan Ran's deep bond makes it impossible for any third party to interfere. She jokingly asks why she would sabotage her "dream couple" and reminds Qian Xixi that friends' partners are off-limits, encouraging her to seize the opportunity. While Chen Lang and his team celebrate their victory, Mr Wu calls him to temper his enthusiasm.
Mr Wu congratulates him on securing the next season's streaming rights for Pineapple but points out that Yun's skirt sales were less than a tenth of Rui's. He explicitly states that if not for Rui's power outage, Yun would not have won. Mr Wu then informs Chen Lang that the skirt collection is excluded from their agreement and instructs him to sign an amendment the next day, leaving Chen Lang furious.
Qian Xixi meets Duan Ran for dinner as arranged by Zhang Jiayun. Duan Ran is initially surprised to see her instead of Zhang Jiayun. They playfully tease each other, recalling past relationships that ended due to long-distance issues. Duan Ran's previous girlfriend was older, and his parents disapproved, while Qian Xixi's ex wanted to stay in Shanghai when she returned to Xiamen. Both confirm they are no longer in contact with their ex-partners.
Duan Ran then muses why they, as childhood neighbors who have shared so much, never became a couple. Before Qian Xixi can fully respond, Duan Ran receives a video notification on his phone—it's the CCTV footage from the power outage area. After reviewing it, he takes a phone call and confirms that the footage indicates the power outage was due to "deteriorated wiring" and not "human intervention."
The video and subsequent phone call interrupt their conversation, but they soon return to playfully teasing each other about who will get the upcoming CEO position. The next day, Duan Shengyun and Mr Shen announce Qian Xixi as Rui Live's new CEO, effective immediately. Duan Ran objects, asserting that Qian Xixi lacks the strategic vision for the company's current needs, calling her an "idiot" who cannot lead.
Mr Shen counters by outlining Qian Xixi's significant contributions to restoring Rui's direction and morale, praising her pragmatic, diligent, and wise approach. Duan Ran proposes splitting the company into two divisions, with Qian Xixi managing internal operations and him overseeing external affairs. Duan Shengyun dismisses this as "childish" and advises Duan Ran to reflect on his own perspective.
He then informs Qian Xixi that she has five months to meet Duan Ran's initial promise of matching QE Marketplace's sales, or Rui Live will be sold. Qian Xixi accepts the challenge, thanking them for their trust. Enraged, Duan Ran accuses Qian Xixi of being a "thief" who has taken everything from him since childhood, including his company. Qian Xixi is deeply hurt by his words, almost in tears.
Duan Ran then storms out, expressing his disdain for their lack of understanding of e-commerce live streaming. As the team excitedly congratulates Qian Xixi on her appointment, Qian Xixi herself feels the immense pressure of the role, vowing to revive Rui Live within the given five months. She calls for a company-wide meeting. Meanwhile, Duan Ran, still unconvinced about the power outage, examines the CCTV footage alone.
He discovers that the video has been tampered with—a specific loop of two people with a stroller appears at two different timestamps, indicating that the original footage of the power cut was deliberately covered up. He deduces that the culprit anticipated his investigation. However, the security personnel he is speaking with remains skeptical, citing the real-time upload of footage as an obstacle to tampering and suggesting it could be a coincidence. Duan Ran is adamant that it's not.
During the meeting, Qian Xixi begins to announce team appointments. Duan Ran, returning late, dismisses his tardiness as a "traffic jam." Qian Xixi, unamused, orders him to stand in a corner for a five-minute "timeout." After some initial resistance, Duan Ran reluctantly complies. Qian Xixi appoints Yu Shi as Head of Finance, Mr Five as the head of supply chain with a vision for their own brand, and Su Su for technical support.
Despite Zhang Jiayun's preference not to be a leader, Qian Xixi assigns her the responsibility of managing the live streams for Pineapple's skirt collection. Observing Duan Ran's defiant behavior during his punishment, Qian Xixi then informs him that his only available position is that of an intern, or he can return to QE as a floor manager.
